Celebrating military intelligence

Thursday

Jul 13, 2017 at 11:30 AM

Carrie Dungan crutledgeb

They’re in every branch of the Army providing credible, critical products to military commanders. They lend support across boundaries, units and enemy lines. They are the Soldiers of the Military Intelligence Corps, which commemorated its 30th birthday with a celebration at McKellar’s Lodge, Friday.During the celebration, the intelligence community at Fort Bragg came together to reflect on the past and learn more about the founder of the MI Corps from Maj. Gen. Jody Daniels, chief of staff, U.S. Army Forces Command. Lt. Gen. Tom Weinstein is described as the “father of the MI master plan,” explained Daniels. Weinstein, who served as commander of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School and Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Headquarters, Department of the Army, created a “road map” for the future of Army intelligence. “Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander, who worked for him, said his MI plan set a course for the Army to have the best intelligence corps for the next decade or two,” said Daniels. “And it really did. He really set the solid foundation.”Daniels said she had the honor of working with Weinstein for the first time when she was a second lieutenant. Eventually, she was tasked with planning and executing the inaugural Military Intelligence Ball to commemorate and celebrate the official founding of the MI Corps in 1987. The MI Corps has adapted and advanced in the 30 years since it was officially activated as a regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System, Daniels said. She described how certain intelligence tools have changed, and what Soldiers can look forward to in the future. “If you look at how we’ve progressed and where we’re headed, we are probably going to start moving a little more deeply into big data analytics, artificial intelligence … all kinds of different ways to help those MI Soldiers and leaders provide informed intelligence and smart assessments.” Throughout the corps’ history, an important aspect of the unit has remained constant, Daniels said.“One other quite notable thing that hasn’t changed over the past 30 years … whether it’s enlisted, officer or warrant officer, is the high quality of the MI professional,” she said. “They are just an outstanding bunch. Creative, analytic, brilliant, motivated Soldiers, officers, warrants, and I am continually impressed by the quality status of the corps and how we have retained that over the last 30 years.”